2024/25 has been a busy year for the team. It was the first year of our multi-year funding agreement with Arts Council of Wales which meant we were able to increase our services and support for members. Some of the highlights from this year include:

Bursaries & Support for Members

• Offered open bursaries for members to attend conferences, shows, and festivals.
• Supported attendance at the AMA Conference, Folk Expo UK and UK Theatre Revenue Generation Conference.
• Provided subsidised accommodation and networking opportunities at the Edinburgh Festival.

Rural Dance Touring Initiative

• Partnered with RDTI to increase dance performances in rural Wales.
• Secured funding for subsidised contemporary dance programming at three venues in 2025-2026.
• Aimed to expand dance audiences and promote inclusivity.

Widening Engagement & Accessibility

• Developed a Speaker Diversity Policy.
• Completed the Race Council Cymru Anti-Racism in the Arts Reverse Mentoring programme.
• Organised Access Forums discussing cashless venues, disability awareness, and accessibility initiatives.
• Ran Disability Equality and Customer Service Training.
• Curated speakers for the Hynt Symposium and coordinated accessibility training.
• Developing on-demand training for venue staff.
• Hynt is a finalist in the Culture category of the St Davids Awards

Welsh Language Initiatives

• 50% of member meetings now have translation, with plans to increase further.
• Worked towards our Cynnig Cymraeg status. 

Climate Justice & Sustainability

• Achieved an A rating for website carbon impact.
• Established ethical supplier monitoring.
• Supported Welsh Theatre and the Climate Crisis events.
• Partnered with the Theatre Green Book to expand its use in Wales.
• Secured Arts Council funding for a Wales Theatre Green Book Champion and related training events.
• Partnered on research on electric vehicle charging points at arts venues.

Creu Cymru Conference

• Held a successful 2-day conference at Aberystwyth Arts Centre.
• Featured high-profile speakers and workshops.
• Positive feedback on the event’s structure, networking opportunities, and bilingual approach.

Training & Development

• Hosted information-sharing events on organisational values, volunteering, and Theatre Tax Relief.
• Ran a free 6-week Wellbeing Programme, covering resilience, stress management, and self-care.
• Partnered with PiPA to roll out the PiPA Wales Initiative to improve conditions for parents and carers in the arts.
• CIISA (Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority) Louise has continued to attend and feed into the CIISA working group as the Standards are developed. 

Advocacy & Policy Influence

• Engaged with the Senedd Culture Committee and Welsh Government on funding challenges.
• Submitted evidence to the Welsh Government Priorities for Culture consultation.
• Attended the Sky Arts Awards, as Yvonne was nominated for the Arts Hero Award.
• Contributed to Creative UK’s EDI case study on accessibility.

Research on Sector Challenges

• Conducted research into the impact of funding cuts and rising costs on workforce, venues, and audiences.
• Identified trends affecting pay, recruitment, energy costs, and community outreach.